Lavonte David Had Knee Surgery After The 2025 Season
March 2nd, 2026
There’s still no official word from the Buccaneers or Lavonte David as to whether the iconic Tampa Bay linebacker wants to play a 15th NFL season.
Perhaps that’s because David had arthroscopic surgery following last season on the ailing knee that he had drained weekly during the 2025 campaign. The surgery was successful, JoeBucsFan.com has learned, and David rehabbed under Bucs supervision for a stretch at team headquarters in Tampa.
It was after the surgery that David told the Caps Off podcast in early February, “I still got a lot of football left in me. I know that for sure. I still love the game. I know that for sure.”
How long David would need to rehab in order to be cleared to play football is unclear. The surgery has not altered the Bucs’ desire to re-sign David, though logic says it could affect how much the Bucs are willing to pay.
Special Guest Bucs GM Jason Licht! Plus Plenty Of Buzz From The Combine, And More
March 2nd, 2026 at 11:16 am
They need to revamp the whole linebacker core they needs let that guy ride off into the sunset .
March 2nd, 2026 at 11:20 am
Stoked to hear that LVD will more than likely be back for another year. We don’t have the LB infrastructure yet to see him go without passing off some knowledge to the youth. Walker +another LBer or two, reduce Davids snaps sounds like a perfect plan
March 2nd, 2026 at 11:37 am
Yes, this is exactly what we don’t need. Another aged out player with a high salary.
LVD is a shell of his former self. Thanks for the hard work but it’s time to go.
If they bring him and Dennis back you can go ahead and throw away the 2026 season. Quite possibly the worst LB room in the NFL right now.
Unless you enjoy wide open Swiss cheese soft as butter pass defense.
#SuperBowles
March 2nd, 2026 at 11:45 am
All about the cash. LVD Part time would be great if we don’t overpay.
March 2nd, 2026 at 11:47 am
He’s begging for CTE to play that position, that long. Poor decision.
March 2nd, 2026 at 11:56 am
Expect another year we have a trash bottom of the league pass defense. Nobody expects a Bobby Wagner or LVD to play backup roles. This is were fans in some stupid madden fantasy world. Very few rookie are gonna come in and see the field like a veteran. Dennis is gonna start again this year😂😂😂
March 2nd, 2026 at 12:00 pm
He looked slower last year but if his knee is healthy he could be a lot better. If he’s healthy and wants to play he will be on the team. We should still draft a day two linebacker though.
March 2nd, 2026 at 12:19 pm
5 Million 1 year deal and a part time role to coach up the 2 new starting LBs that we get this year would be great.
March 2nd, 2026 at 12:33 pm
Wonderful. An old, injured, recovering LB that’s in denial that he’s a liability. Perfect candidate for Licht to overpay and waste a valuable roster spot. SMH!!!
March 2nd, 2026 at 12:51 pm
Some of you act like 35 years old is 55 years old.
Yeah he isn’t the same player he was at 25 but if the salary is acceptable, we can’t afford to not have David taking some snaps at ILB. The cupboard is currently bare folks!
I’m encouraged by this surgery. Perhaps David hasn’t slowed quite as much as we think and he just battled a knee problem most of the season.
March 2nd, 2026 at 12:51 pm
I wonder just how hobbled LVD was by that injury last year and if he’s back to 100% now? For all we know, he could be capable of playing 3-4 more years at an ultra high level without an injury. Who knows? It’s worth at least checking out I think…but cut SVD and please bring in some more ILB’s!
March 2nd, 2026 at 1:13 pm
I would love nothing more than to see #54 on defense this fall making splash plays, and #13 catching tuddy’s. Go Bucs, bring back the HoF Bucs for one more rodeo.
March 2nd, 2026 at 1:26 pm
LVD is like that old, diesel truck with 400k miles that keeps going. You owned it for 20 years and think you can get another 100k out of it. I don’t think the Bucs have many options here and bringing LVD back one more year is needed. I’m sure they’ll draft a linebacker or two, and hopefully pick up a solid FA. They’ll need him to mentor the young guys before he exits. Rotate him in and out more often and he’ll stay fresh.
March 2nd, 2026 at 1:44 pm
It’s good news that he had the surgery. Hopefully, he’ll improve on last season.
He’s still the best ILB on the roster. I hope Licht bring in a quality starter through FA to play along side LVD. Also a couple draft picks in rds 2-4 that LVD could mentor. For this season, the Bucs need LVD to decipher the maze of Bowles’s defense.
Next year, I expect Bowles and LVD to be gone, so the Bucs need some young, talented ILB’s as well as a vet to lead the room.
March 2nd, 2026 at 1:45 pm
And another reason not to bring him back.
March 2nd, 2026 at 1:53 pm
Sign a vet to add with LVD and draft his replacement. He’s still valuable. His place wasn’t bad enough to let him go. It’s just not what it used to be.
March 2nd, 2026 at 1:58 pm
I hear that Derrick Brooks is working out again and feels ready to play ball.
Licht was seen at his home carrying balloons and a contract in hand.
All our troubles are over my friends!
The brain trust has this thing handled.
#SuperBowles
March 2nd, 2026 at 2:04 pm
He’s coming back. And he knows that SirVocea Dennis is ready to ball out.
March 2nd, 2026 at 2:16 pm
Again, you have to plan for David not being there, but if he’s healthy, gets back half a step, what a huge bonus that would be.
March 2nd, 2026 at 2:55 pm
BUCS ARE REBUILDING
The Bucs have an OL, so-so WR, and a young secondary.
That’s it.
They have no Stars. No TE. No RB. No LB. No Edge. And other than an old VV, no DL.
They need a lot. It will take them 3 years to reload.
March 2nd, 2026 at 3:10 pm
I think LVD is our #1 priority in free agency. He was our best LB last year, with absolutely no help from anyone else in that room. The man had to pick up everyone else’s slack and played on a bum knee. The man had 114 tackles 3.5 sacks 6 QB hits 2 FF 2 Fumble Recoveries and a game winning INT against Seattle, all while playing hurt and with an incapable Dennis playing next to him. He is our modern day Mr Buccaneer and should be brought back for at least one more season.
March 2nd, 2026 at 4:12 pm
Time to reload. Bringing him back means he will be a starter. Hes not coming back for one more year to sit the bench or play STs. Signing him will only make Bowles more delusional than he already is.
Time for JL to put his foot down and tell Bowles his LBers suck and he’s drafting 2 and Signing another in FA.
It’s time
March 2nd, 2026 at 4:42 pm
Get 2 good LBs, an Edge that’s great and a speedy quick rb. Trade up trade back but do it.
March 2nd, 2026 at 5:29 pm
52 days till the NFL draft….Yipeee!!!
March 2nd, 2026 at 6:14 pm
Even if LVD is back at 100%-
you can’t expect him to play his position and SVD’s position too cause SVD has absolutely NO instinct, can’t tackle and sure as heck can’t cover a back.
March 2nd, 2026 at 6:23 pm
This is good news. I don’t mind bringing back LD as long as we are bringing in at least one rookie and another established veteran. Where we draft that rookie will obviously be impacted by who we bring in and who is available to us in the draft.
March 2nd, 2026 at 7:29 pm
David seems to definitely be gearing up to play next season. Bucs shouldn’t offer him too much – not even half his salary from last year, I would hope.
He played injured last season and just might be a lot better than people think he is, post surgery.
March 2nd, 2026 at 8:11 pm
Hate to say it, but it’s time to move on form LVD. He’s had an HOF career but his play has fell off considerably. Bucs need an infusion of talent.
March 2nd, 2026 at 8:16 pm
Clearly he needed the surgery all last year, but kept getting his knee drained to wait until the off season.
Also clear, like the rest of the team, the injury played a big roll in his performance.
He got the surgery and is back up to par..
If he’s willing to play, re-sign him at his usual rate.
March 2nd, 2026 at 8:34 pm
I love LVD – don’t get me wrong – but I am also sick of hearing “he was our best linebacker, we must resign him”…As “Best” is a relative term when weighed against an equally terrible option.
Because that is what is not being spoken or realized…Many are not taking into account that LVD & SVD made up 1 of 5 worst ILB tandems in the NFL in 2025. That both rated in the bottom 25% of ILB play across the league, that both were sub-standard on the field…And while both may have had 100+ tackles each…They were also part of the reason the Bucs could not get off the field on 3rd downs or stop scoring drives late in games. (More chances – more tackles)
It also goes without saying that I blame Licht & Co. for not having a better ILB room behind those 2…No real answers were available once we knew that ILB was a very weak link in the defense. That is 100% on Licht.
March 3rd, 2026 at 1:19 am
Success has one ingredient.
Somebody feed Todd.
March 3rd, 2026 at 6:48 am
“””Some of you act like 35 years old is 55 years old.”””
35 is 55 in the NFL.